Improvement in harness-buckles



UNITE SrArEs A'rEN'r FFICE.

ALFRED WALKER, on NEW HAVEN, conNEcTicUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARNESS-BUCKLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,495, dated January 13, 1874; application led July 2, 1873. l

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED WALKER, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Harness -Bucklesg and I do hereby declaretlie following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a front View; Fig. 2, a side view 5 Fig. 3, a longitudinal central section, Fig. 4, the reverse or rear View, and in Fig. 5, a detached view of the locking device.

This invention relates to an improvement in buckles particularlyr designed for harness or trace buckles, but applicable to other purposes, the object being' to lock the buckle in a closed, or set position, and the invention consists in a tongue arranged upon the frame, with a neck or groove around its end, and combined with a slotted plate, which, when the tongue is passed through the strap, may be set onto the neck of the tongue, and prevent its withdrawal.

The buckle may be made, as seen in Fig. 1, with a base, A, by which it may be secured to the tug B, as seen in Fig. 3; and, when required, a loop, C D, is formed, one upon the upper, and the other upon the lower, edge. To the frame, as at c, the outer portion or plate E is hinged, so that the trace F will pass between the hinged portion E and the tug B. Upon the under side of the plate E are one or more tongues, b d, as seen in Fig. 3, which pass through perforations in the trace or strap F, and, when required, a loop is formed at the end, for the attachment of the holdback or other straps, The tongue b is formed with an annular groove, as seen in Fig. 3, or with an equivalent device, whereby the stud is slightly smaller immediately below than at the end `5 and to the base A of the buckle, or other con venient position, I attach a liexible. strap, H, and upon the end of the strap, next the tongue b, I arrange a plate, I, in which isa slot, f, less in width than the diameter of the end of the stud b, but with an enlargement, e, at one or both ends of the slot, which will allow the plate to pass onto the stud or tongue 1j, and it is thus set on by turning or loweringv the strap H', as to the position seen in Fig. 4L; then, when so passed on the tongue, the slot fpasses onto the neck, as seen in Fig. 3, and, remaining there,

prevents the withdrawal of the tongue untilA the plate I has been again turned or moved to bring the stud into one of the enlarged por tions e,- then it may be removed, and the strap adjusted.

While I prefer th at the slot f should be transversely across the strap, it may be longitudinally or otherwise arranged, and accomplish the same result.

This securing device may be applied to buckles of other forms, the presence of the grooved stud and slotted plate only being esseutial.

The combination of the slotted plate I on the flexible strap with a tongue or tongues, substantially as described.

ALFRED WALKER.

Vitnesses J. H. SHUMWAY, A. J. TrRBIrs. 

